CHERCHEZ LA FEMME: FEMINISM AND RACE

CLF started six years ago because I thought feminists would love to discuss complex ideas around gender, power and culture over a few drinks, and that we’d all benefit from sharing different perspectives. I’ve definitely made some mistakes over the years, and we’re grateful for all the constructive criticism that’s helped make the show better, smarter, and more inclusive. For years we’ve wanted to bring you next month’s topic but it never felt right for me to host it. Now that I’m on maternity leave, and the show has a different guest host every month, the whole CLF crew is very excited to bring you Feminism and Race.

– Karen

Women of Colour are the centre and base of all feminism, but have also been ignored and excluded from the mainstream feminist movement across different points in time. Furthermore, white feminists have taken credit for the work that WoC have done that benefits all women. Moreoever, we must remember that the term ‘intersectional feminism’ was first coined and theorized by African American feminist Kimberlé Crenshaw in the 1980’s to “capture the experience black feminism to anti-discrimation law” that affected not only gender but race too. At the same time, we must acknowledge that in Australia, Aboriginal women developed their own language around “feminism” – a kind of feminism that could not separate experiences of gender, race and colonial violence that has affected Aboriginal women, men, sistergirls and brotherboys. With over 250 years of colonisation and multiple waves of immigration in Australia the conversation about “feminism and race” needs to account for the lived experiences of Aboriginal people and people of colour that make up Australia today and how our experiences overlap and sometimes clash with each other.

This show will be an opportunity for us to come together to teach, learn, and listen as we examine some of the difficult questions that arise at the intersection of race and gender.

We cannot be more clear that this show will not be in any way disrespectful of any race, faith, or cultural background. The guests and host for this evening are doing so in a spirit of generosity and openness we should all be respectful and grateful for. It’s going to be a fantastic discussion, and we cannot wait to introduce these panelists to the stage:

Our phenomenal host for the evening is Thanh H?ng Ph?m, a queer vi?t poet from “Queering the Air”. As with all CLF shows we’ve worked to put together a really strong panel with a range of perspectives and experiences, and we’re going to be announcing a few more guests very soon – so stay tuned!

We’re completely humbled by what an amazing line up this is, and we’re in awe of our panel in agreeing to come and discuss something so powerful and significant with us. It’s going to be an incredible show, and we can’t wait for you to join us.